Rexroth has developed a PC plug-in card that simplifies machine automation by carrying Sercos, Ethernet/IP, TCP/IP and safety functions on one Ethernet cable. The Sercans master-module can combine real-time, non-real-time and safety communications on a single cable.

Denso Robotics has announced a washable six-axis robot with a sterilisation-resistant surface that is suitable for use in the pharmaceutical, food, electronics and medical industries. The company has also developed an automated, vision-based feed-control system.

HBM has developed a system for measuring the performance and efficiency of electric motors and inverters that, it claims, is the only one that can record both electrical and mechanical parameters under dynamic conditions.

National Instruments has announced an industrial controller for advanced applications in harsh environments. The four-slot CompactRIO performance controller is supported by the latest (2014) version of NI’s LabView software and by its Linux Real-Time OS (operating system), allowing engineers to use a single environment to develop a system while taking advantage of the enhanced hardware performance.

Sick has released a 3D camera with a wide field of view, designed to help pick large stationary objects in robotic applications. The ScanningRuler combines 3D and 2D measurements and allows fast, accurate picking of machined parts piled randomly in bins or baskets, without needing to move either the camera or the container.

US-based Quadrant Engineering Plastic Products has developed a dry-running sliding material which, it claims, has the lowest coefficient of friction (COF) available. The company developed the Tivar HPV material to minimise backsliding issues in production environments with high speeds, temperatures and loads, or where aggressive cleaning agents are present.

The French automation manufacturer Crouzet has announced a range of nano-PLCs that includes models designed to connect to the Internet via 2G, 3G or Ethernet. The em4 PLCs, which can be controlled remotely, are the same size as Crouzet’s Millenium 3 logic controllers, but have twice the memory capacity and cycle times that are up to five times faster.

Belden has announced a new generation of cyber-security systems for industrial control systems which, it says, offer a “unique” level of flexibility and customisation and will allow network managers to upgrade live systems easily, with minimal configuration and no downtime.

Siemens has announced a series of medium-voltage drives in which low-voltage cells are linked together to build the MV power output. This allows the Sinamics Perfect Harmony GH150 drives to be scaled for output voltages from 4–7.2kV and output ratings up to 13.3MVA.

Avago Technologies claims to have developed the world’s smallest three-channel reflective optical encoders, for use in miniature, low-power motion control systems. The AEDR-87xx devices are aimed at applications such as stepper motors, actuators, piezoelectric drives and portable medical appliances.

The data acquisition and measurement specialist HBM has announced an industrial measurement amplifier that it claims is the only one available that allows users to take accurate, position-based torque measurements that can be used directly by industrial control systems and dynamometers.

The Californian automation manufacturer Opto 22 has announced a new version of its groov Box industrial appliance that hosts mobile operator interfaces for almost any automation system. Users simply connect their automation system to the Box, and then connect authorised mobile devices, via either a Web browser or an app interface. The mobile devices can then interact with the automation system in a secure and predefined manner.

SKF has announced a shaft alignment tool that it claims is the first to use inductive proximity sensors, rather than traditional lasers, dial gauges or line-of-sight techniques. The TKSA 11 system is designed to be used with an app running on a smartphone or tablet, thus eliminating the need for a dedicated display and cutting the instrument’s cost to about half that of competing systems.

National Instruments has announced an all-in-one instrument that combines a mixed-signal oscilloscope, function generator, digital multimeter, programmable DC power supply and digital I/O. Users interact with the VirtualBench device via software applications running on a PC or iPad.